Nut marking device



April 20, 1937. J. E. TRUNK 2,077,971

NUT MARKING DEVICE Original Filed June` 18, 1934 3 Shee'ps-Sheet 1 April 20, 1937. J. E. TRUNK 2,077,971

NUT MARKING DEVICE Original Filed June 18, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

April 20, 1937. J' E, TRUNK 2,077,971

NUT MARKING. DEVICE Original Filed June 18, 1934' 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 20, 1937 e NT MARKING' DEVICE Y John E. Trunk, Newberg, Oreg.

Original application June 18:, 1934, Serial No".

731,123. Divided and this application April 3,

1935, Serial No. 14,466

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. (Cl. IUI-351) The present invention has to do With a device for marking or branding nuts and like articles'. The problem of such branding is made diiiicult by the many variations in size of the objects to be branded, their uneven surfaces, and the fact that they are not regular in shape. Since they are rarely spherical they must be placed and held in some particular position While being marked.

The most obvious way of branding such objects is to make an ink impression on their tops as they pass on a belt under a printing apparatus. When this is done the variations in size make necessary a sorting of the objects to be branded or else some Way of compensating for the comparatively wide variance. This necessity either increases the cost or reduces the e'iciency of the device.

'I'he objects of this invention are to avoid those and similar difficulties and are as follows:

E() A new and imp-roved ,machine for marking nuts and like articles not of uniform size and shape.

A device for placing a stamp uniformly upon uneven rounded small articles such as nuts.

A marking device allowing properly for differences in size and shape of articles to be marked.

An efficient and economical 'branding machine.

A marking device capable of operating at high speed. f

A marking device capable of handling rapidly large quantities of articles to be marked.

A novel structure for carrying belts for small articles.

A novel structure for loading small articles onto a conveyor.

A novel device for seating small articles in a conveyor.

A novel inking device for marking rollers.

A novel structure for printing rollers.

A novel adjustable carriage and adjusting 40 means for printing and inking rollers.

A novel structure for holding articles to be printed.

A novel way and device for presenting small articles to a printing roller or device for marking.

Many other objects will appear from the description of the machine hereinafter given.

In the drawings of the illustrated embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the right hand side 50 of such machine;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the left hand side of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the same machine;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View on line 55 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of one of the car-r rier belt bars through one of tlie cups, on line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an end View of the printing roller with part of one bar thereon cut away to a sectional view through one of the rubber dies therein, on line 6-6 of Figure 8;

Figure 7 is an end view of the printing and inking frame with the end frame remo-ved but indicated by dotted lines;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the printing and inking frame; and

Figure 9 is a view of the carrier belt showing details thereof.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the drawings and in the description of the invention hereinafter given.

Reference should be had in connection herewith to application, Serial No. 731,123, filed June 18, 1934, by the applicant herein for Nut marking device, of which this application is va division.

The main supporting structure for the device is a frame 20, made of metal beams or other suitable materials bolted, riveted or welded together. There are four upright pieces, 2 I, joined by horizontal beams 22 at the top, 23 inthe middle, and 24' at the bottom, on the right side, 25 at the top, `26 in the middle and 2l at the bottom on the left side, and cross pieces 28, 29 and 30, and 3 I, 32, and 33 at the ends. The entire frame may be mounted on casters or Wheels 34, so that it may be moved about.

At one end of the machine, there is a hopper 35, and at the other a sacking chute 36 having two outlets 31 and 38,/ and a movable vane 39, operated by handle 40 to deflect branded nuts or other articles into one or the other outlet.

Mounted above the chute 36, or at some other place, may be a switch box 4l for starting and stopping the device.

The bottom 42 of the hopper does not extend entirely to the lowest part thereof, but terminates above that point. To this abbreviated bottom there is fastened, as by screws 43 or in any other way, a sheet of elastically ilexible material 44, such as sheet metal.

The exible sheet 44extends entirely across the hopper and forms a continuation of the bottom of the hopper. At the other edge of the sheet 44, there is attached a heavier piece of material 45, also extending entirely across the hopper and forming a further extension of the abbreviated bottom. The piece 45 is heavy enough to carry rigidly tail pieces 46 which are conformation depending on the nature of the articles to be marked. In the present (form of the invention the recesses are oval in shapebejA cause that shape best fits the nuts 53.

The recesses 52 are open at the bottom, at. 54, v

as indicated. Into this opening asmall'4 portion of the article 53 will project. jecting will vary slightly with objects of di1er ent sizes, but the Variation will be slight. The

openings 54 may be shaped according toV the shape of the article or instead, they may, be shaped according to the shape of the mark that 'is to be placed on Vthe article. In the present instance, the oval shape of the opening lls both requirements.

Near to and below the piece 45 and the tail pieces 46, the chains 49, supporting the carrier bars 58, are carried on idler sprockets 55, mounted on shaft 56 which is journaled in bearings 51 and 58 vmounted adjustably on the horizontal frame pieces 23 and 26. Bolts 59 and 68 on each side pass through slots in the bearing supports or in the frame members and may be loosened and the bearings moved one way or the other to tighten or loosen the belt 48. The same movement also adjusts the distance between the belt 48 and the hopper 35. Grease cups 6|, or any other available means, may be p-rovided'to keep the bearingsr oiled.

Upwards and towards the middle of the machine from the idler sprockets 55 are sprockets 62 and 53; engaging the chains 49, and keyed to shaft 64, which is journalled in bearings 65, fastened, as by bolts 66, to the top frame members 22 and 25, on each side. The shaft 64 extends beyond the bearings on each side of the machine to receive other sprocket `wheels and cams.

Near the end of the machine away Yfrom idler sprockets 54 and 55 and near the top ofthe machine, are. drive sprockets 61 and 68 over which chains 49 pass carrying the carrier bars 58. These sprockets are keyed-to shaft 69 which is journalled in bearings 18 fastened to frame members 22 and 25 in the usual way. Shaft 691s extended at one end to receive driven sprocket 1| which is keyed to theshaft.

Below the drive sprockts 61 and 68, and somewhat nearer the middle of the length of the machine, are idler sprockets l2, mounted on shaft 12a which is journalled in bearingsf`|3 mounted on the frame members 23 and 26. The carrier belt thus runs on four lpairs of sprockets, one drive sprocket, one driven sprocket and two idler sprockets. The path of travel is upward from the first idler sprocket and from the hopper, over the driven sprocket, over the drive sprocket, down to the second idler sprocket and thence loosely back tov the starting point.

Near the hopper 35 and immediately above a part of the'upward slope vof the carrier belt `48, is a revolving brush of uniform cylindrical shape '|4, which in use is rotated so'that the'part nearest the belt is traveling' in a direction opposite to that of the travel of the' belt. This brush The amount proi.;

keeps back any surplus nuts that may appear upon the belt and helps to seat the nuts in the depressions in the carrier bars. The brush is mounted on shaft l5, which is journalled in bearings 18, l1. The bearings 16 and are mounted adjustably upon angular frame pieces 18 afforded for the purpose, attached to the two adjacent uprights 2|, andto the sheet metal trangular enclosing members V19 which serve to enclose the sides ascending'portion of the carrier belt. The bearings are adjustable to raise or Llower the brush, in the usual manner, such as by slotsinthe frame or in the bas-e of the bearing, not shown in the drawings. The shaft 'l5 is extendedat the left hand side of the machine, tocarrytheriven sprocket 88, which ls keyed tothe shaft.' A chain 8|, passing around sprocket 82,which is keyed to the shaft 64 of 4the sprockets 62 and 63, turned by force trans- 'fmitted through the carrier chains 49, causes sprocket 82 and the brush 14 to revolve when the carrier chain is in motion.

Below the ascending portion of the carrier belt 48 and in position to support it if it should tend to sag are supporting slide members 83 supported by the leg members 84 and 85 through the medium of angle irons and bolts in the usual way.

Above the horizontal portion of the carrier belt 48 between the driven sprockets 62 and 63 and drive sprocket is a further set of brushes to adjust the nuts in the recesses in the carrier belt andcause them to be seated properly therein. The brushes 86 and 81 are flat and are mounted upon supporting frame members 88 and 89 with the ends of the bristles either upon or adjacent to the carrier bars 58. At the end away from the hopper 35, frame members 88 and 89 are fastened, asby bolting or riveting, to a cross frame member 98. These frame members`88, 89 and 98 are commonly L-shaped in cross section, but the shape is a matter of choice.

At each end of the cross frame 98 means is provided either by the use of angle irons or by bending one side of the L for a fastening by a bolt or pin parallel to the long axis of the member. By means of such bolts or pins 9| and 92, links 93 and 94 are pivotally secured to'each end of the cross frame member 98. The links 93 and 94 are adjustably secured by bolts 95 passing through slotted holes 96 to links 91 and 98, which in turn lare pivotally connected to top frame members 22 and 25.

The other ends of the frame members 88 and 89 are bent inwardly at an angle at a point just short of the brushes from the hopper end of the machine, and the inwardly turned ends are fastened as by bolts 99 and |88 to the bearing |8|. A cross piece |82 is fastened to the frame members 88 and 89 between the bend and the brushes. To the middle of the cross piece is attached a second bearing |83 in line with the rst |8|.

Through bearings |8| and |83 but not extending beyond bearings |83 towards the brushes is a shaft |84 which is locked rotatably in place in the vbearings by the collars |85 and |86 placed on the shaft between the bearings, and secured by set screws |81 and |88.

On the outer end of the shaft 84 is a connecting collar |89 having an opening to receive the outer end of the shaft and a set screw to hold it securely in place, and having an aperture at right angles to the axis of the shaft |84 to receive a pin ||8. The pin H8 carrying the collar |89 and a spring to take up slack passes between the ends of a substantially U-shaped cam rider 2 being' held in place by lock nuts ||3 or in any othersuitable way. The cam rider ||2 is not fully U-shaped because what would be the bottom of the U is bridged over to form a circular opening which receives rotatably the central part of a grooved wheel ||4.

The grooved wheel I4 is mounted rotatably upon an an-gularly disposed extension I |5 of shaft IIB, being held in place by a collar ||1 provided with a set screw ||8.

Shaft ||6 is iournalled in bearings H9 and |20 which are mounted upon a cross member |2| fastened to main frame members 22 and 25. Bolting appears to be the most satisfactory way of fastening these various parts together. f

An end of the shaft I6 extends beyond frame member on the left hand side of the machine and to it is keyed a sprocket |22 which cooperates with a chain |23 driven by sprocket |24 keyed to shaft |25 to rotate shaft H6 and cause the brushes 85 and 81 to be moved by the camming action of the angular extension 5. The brushes are given a forward and back motion, the pivoted links 93 and 94, and 91 and 98 allowing movement in that direction, and a sideways motion, the same links allowing a twisting movement. This complex movement of the brushes will seat in their sockets all the nuts on the carrier belt passing under the brushes and borne upon by them.

Shaft |25 carrying the sprocket |24 keyed thereto is journalled in bearings |26 and |21 mounted on frame members 23 and 26. Inside the frame member 23 at the right hand side of the machine and keyed to shaft |25 is a pulley wheel |28 which is adapted to receive a belt |29 V-shaped in cross section. The belt |20 is driven by a similar but smaller pulley |30 on the motor |3| which is disposed at the right hand side of the machine on a supporting platform |32 mounted upon a brace |33 connecting the frame members 23 and 24 at the right hand side of the machine.

It is at once apparent that any available form of power may be used to operate the machine, and that the invention is not limited to the use of an electric motor as shown. By a slight rearrangement any prime mover could be used driving the machine through a belt.

The right hand end of shaft |25 extends beyond frame member 23 and carries keyed to it a small driving belt wheel |34 adapted to receive a belt |35 which may be of the Vtype. Belt |35 passes also around a second driven pulley |36, a large belt wheel upon shaft |31 which is journalled in bearings attached to the brace member |33 and not shown in the drawings. Also upon the outside of and substantially integral with shaft |31 and the driven wheel |36, is a sprocket |38 adapted to drive a chain |39 which in turn drives a large sprocket wheel 1| keyed to shaft 69.

It has been found best to make the large wheels |28 and |36 and 1| of a diameter of sixteen inches, the motor pulley |30 and belt wheel |34 of a diameter of four inches, and the small sprocket |38 of a diameter of six inches. Thus there is a series of reductions in the speed of rotation of the various wheels and shafts connected with this part of the driving mechanism. Except as here set forth the members of the pairs of driving and driven wheels are approximately equal in size so that there is no appreciable increase in or reduction of speed of rotation. Alterations in these respects would be in order if a different source of power were used or its speed changed.

The shaft 69, rotated by the wheel 1|, actuates the driven sprockets 61 and 68 which cooperate with the links of the chains 49 and cause the carrier belt to move.

Under the brushes 86 and 81 and with its upper edge bearing lightly upon the bottoms of the carrier bars as they are moved past, is a strip I4| of rubber or like resilient and flexible material clamped between strips |42 and |43 which are bolted to cross piece |44. Cross piece |44 is mounted for vertical adjustment on the bottoms of screw rods |45 to which are fastened knobs |46 for easy operation. The screw rods pass through threaded apertures in brackets |41 and |48 fastened to the frame members 22 and 25, and are provided with lock nuts. Instead of passing the rods through threaded apertures they may simply be provided with two nuts, one to hold the position and the other to lock the rst in place. The rubber strip |4| serves to raise the nuts slightly in the depressions in the carrier bars, thus aiding the brushes 85 and 81 in assuring proper placement of the nuts in the depressions,

The inking and printing apparatus of the machine is mounted, all but the ink supply pump, between two triangular frame members |49, which are held in proper relation to each other by shouldered tie rods |50, |5| and |52. The entire carriage thus formed is pivoted for vertical adjustment on shaft 64, one end of each frame |49 being supported by that shaft.

The other end of the carriage is supported by two screw rods |53 and |54 whichare pivotally fastened to the carriage by rivets or by other suitable means passing through eyes in the rods. From the fastening the rods pass upwards through holes in frame members 22 and 25. The upper ends of the rods are threaded and extend well above frame members 22 and 25 and through a cross piece |55 which is supported above frame members 22 and 25 by rigidly fastened links |50 and |51. Above the cross member |55 two sprocket wheels |58 and |59 of equal size, appropriately drilled and threaded, are threaded onto the screw rods |53 and |54, and bearing upon the cross piece |55 support the screw rods in place.

About both sprocket wheels |58 and 59 is a chain |60 which insures that if one sprocket wheel is turned to raise or lower the screw rod and the carriage, the other sprocket will turn an equal amount to raise or lower the other rod and the f' other side of the carriage. Thus once the carriage is properly adjusted in a level position it will always remain level while it is raised or lowered. To operate the two sprocket wheels |58 and |59, a crank handle |51 is fastened to one of them.

The printing of the marks or brands upon the nuts is done by a'printing roller |52. The printing pads |53 of rubber or some other suitable material are set in depressions |05 in bars |54 which extend from end to end of the roller, the pads being fastened in the depressions by means of an adhesive, or if desired, by other means such as small screws. The number of depressions and printing pads in each bar is the same as the number of depressions in each carrier bar 50 and will be placed the same distance apart. In the form shown the carrier bars have each five depressions, so that the carrier belt carries five rows of nuts. The printing bars accordingly each have ve depressions and printing pads whichv coincide with the apertures 54 in the carrier bars. A portion of each printing pad protrudes from the depression in which it is fastened and on the protruding end is the stamp or design which it is desired to imprint upon the nuts.

s The bars 64 are mounted on the printing roller in suc-h a way that the lines of printing pads are separated by a distance equal to that .between the apertures in adjacent carrier bars 50. Upon the printing roller |62 there are flat faces |66 as many in number as the number of bars |64 intended to fit thereon. The reverse face of each bar is correspondingly fiat and the flat faces of roller and bars are coextensive. The sides of the bars are substantially perpendicular to the reverse face thereof, so that when the bars are in place on the roller there is a V-shaped opening between them. Into this opening is inserted a metal wedge |61 through which extends a socket headed screw |68, the head thereof being adapted to lie flush with the surface of the wedge and to be turned with a hexagonal wrench inserted into the socket of the head. Threaded holes are provided in the roller I 62 between the bars |64, and the screws are turned into these holes, wedging the bars |64 securely in place. Should one of the bars .|64 become damaged or worn or for any other reason require replacement, the wedge is loosened, the bar withdrawn and another substituted therefor while the roller is in place in the machine and without requiring a complete dismantling of the roller and without requiring more than a few minutes time.

When one of the rubber printing pads becomes defective, it is merely pulled out of its hole and another inserted in its place after having adhesive applied thereto. The same procedure is followed when all of the pads are changed.

The printing roller |62 is keyed to shaft |69 which is journalled in bearings |10 attached to frame members |49 at the end of the carriage supported by the screw rods |53 and |54 and farthest removed from that which is pivoted on shaft 64. The right hand end of the shaft |69 protrudes through a hole in frame |49 and bears keyed thereto a sprocket |1| identical in size and in line with sprocket |12 which is keyed to shaft 64, which also has'keyed to it the sprockets 62 and 63 which support the carrier belt, so that the belt in moving turns shaft 54 and so drives sprocket |12 and by a chain |13, the sprocket |1| which in turn moves the printing roller |62. Between sprocket and frame |49 is a gear wheel |14 keyed to shaft |69. A second gear wheel |15 is in mesh therewith and is keyed to shaft |16 which is journalled in bearings |11 and |10, mounted upon frames |49. On shaft |16 between frames |49 is a rubber roller |19. The circumference of the rubber roller |19 is in contact with the faces of the printing'pad |63 as each row of them is towards such roller, and the roller is of such length as to touch all the pads.

Inside the frame |49 but at the left end of the rubber roller |19, a third gear wheel is keyed to the shaft |16. This meshes with a fourth gear Wheel |0I which in turn is in mesh with a fth |82.

Gear wheel I8| is long enough to allow end play without becoming unmeshed. It is keyed to shaft |83 which had also keyed to it a brass roller |84. The teeth of gears |80, ISI and |82 are deeply cut to allow some change in the separation of the shafts.

Shaft |83 is journalled in bearings |85 and |86 at the end of an inner carriage I 81. This end is free exceptl for rods 256 fastened to collars 251 and carrying springs 258 which press downward on the carriage and upwardvon brackets 259, bolted to frames |49, through which the rods 256 also pass, their motion downward being limited adjustably by nuts 260 on protruding ends of the rods, which are threaded for the purpose. A lock nut 26| is provided on each rod. The spring 258 urges the shaft |83 downward and the brass roll |84 into close contact with the other rollers |19 and 2|| with which it cooperates.l

The inner carriage |81 consists of the links |88 which support the shaft |83 adjustably fastened to links |90, by bolts |89 passing through slotted holes |92. The lower ends of links |90 bear collars I9|a coinciding with holes in the links, and rod |93 passes through the collar and the links and is held rigidly by nuts |94 on the threaded ends of the rod t'o two brackets |95 secured to frames |49 by bolts |96. The entire inner carriage |81 is thus pivoted at its lower end.

The bearings I and shaft |83 as well as the gear wheel |8I are adapted to allow an endwise motion to be imparted to the brass roller |84 while it is in rotary motion. This endwise motion of the brass roller is provided by an arm |91, pivoted near its middle point by bolt |98 on a fulcrum ISI attac-hed as by bolts |99 to the inner carriage |81. At the end of the brass roller |84 and securely fastened, as by a set screw, to the shaft at the end opposite that occupied by the gear wheel |8| is a grooved collar 200. At the end of the arm I 91 is a roller 20| which fits into the groove 202 of the collar 200, being free enough to bear on one side or the other of that groove.

On the other end of arm |91 is a second roller 203 which works in the same way in an angularly disposed groove 204 in a collar 205 which is placed toY rotate upon rod |93 and restrained from endwise motion by a collar with a set screw, or by a shoulder on the rod or some other suitable means. Collar 205 is caused to rotate through the medium of a sprocket 206 integral therewith and a chain 201 running over sprocket 206 and over another sprocket 208 keyed to shaft |16. Shaft |16 in turning causes collar 205 to turn. Roller 203 follows the angularly disposed groove and causes the arm |91 to oscillate, thus moving the opposite end of the armA and through the roller 20| in the groove 202 in collar 200 imparting an endwise motion to the brass roller. The surface of the brass roller |84 is in rolling contact with the rubber roller |19, and as the two rotate the brass roller slides back and forth on its axis. The brass roller |84 and its gear Wheel |8| are slightly smaller than the rubber roller |19 and its gear wheel |15, so that only once in the course of many revolutions will any two particular spots on the two rollers be together.

The fth gear wheel |82 is keyed to a shaft 209 which is journalled in bearings 2|0 mounted upon frames |49. In rolling contact with the brass roll |84, shaft 209 bears a felt roller 2| I. The felt roller and its driving gear wheel |82 are of slightly different diameters than the brass roller |84 and its gear wheel |8| so that the two rollers present to each other a constantly changing surface.

Above the felt roller 2|| are ink drips 2|2 which serve to keep the felt roll saturated with ink. There may be as many of these ink drips as is desired, but it is found best to have enough of them to keep the ink substantially uniform over the entire length Vof the felt roller. Where ve rows .of.nuts are being marked, four or ve ink drips serve the purpose. They consist of a cup 2| 3 and a spout 2|4. 'Ihe size of the orifice of the spout determines the amount of ink that will be supplied to the rolls.

The ink drips are mounted upon a bar 2| 5 which is fastened, as by nuts 2|6 on threaded ends 2|1 of the bar 2|5, to supports 2|8, which in turn are rigidly mounted upon rod |93 by means of collars 2|9 and set screws 220. The position ofthe ink drips may be changed by turning the rod |93 or by turning the supports 2|8 on the rod |93 after loosening the set screws 220.

Ink is supplied to the cups 2|3`in any suitable Way, but in the present form of the device an ink pump was found to be satisfactory. The pump 22| is mounted upon a cross piece 22|a attached to frame members 23 and 26 and is of the conventional type. It is operated by a reciprocating rod 222 attached to a crank plate 223 which is keyed to the end of shaft 64 and turns as the carrier belt moves. The lower end of the rod 222 passes through a collar 224 rigidly fastened thereto, a spring 225, a washer 226, and a crank pin 221, and its end is threaded to receive nuts 228 which hold the rod and a collar 229 in place.

The crank pin 221 operates a lever arm 230 which is secured to a shaft 23| protruding from the pump casing. The lever arm is' provided with several holes 232 into which the crank pin may be inserted for adjusting the degree of rotation of the arm. The downward movement of the arm is limited by a stop 233 against which the end of the arm hits. The stop is attached to frame member 26 by a bracket 234 and a bolt 235. When the arm 239 is stopped short of its lowest position, the spring 225 allows for the further motion of the rod 222.

From the side of the pump 22| a pipe 236 protrudes and to the pipe are attached tubes 231 which convey the ink upwards from the pump and into the drip cups 2|3.

Directly above the location at which the printing pads |63 press upon the nuts in the recesses of the carrier belt is a roller 238 made of sections 239 of soft sponge rubber. The sections 239 are in the nature of rings which are slipped into place upon a base roller 248 which may be of any desired material but should not be too heavy. The width of the rings or sections 239 is a little less than the distance between centers of the recesses 52 in the carrier bars 50. They are placed on the base roller 24D in such position that when the entire roller 238 is centered above the carrier belt 48 each section of sponge rubber will be in position to press upon nuts in the recesses 52. 'I'he roller 238 is fastened to shaft 24| which is journalled to rotate freely but without end motion in bearings 242 at the ends of support pieces 243, which are set apart only far enough to let the roller turn freely between them without appreciable end motion. Support pieces 243 are adjustably fastened to support pieces 244 by bolts 245 passing through slotted holes 246. Support pieces 244 are attached to a rod 241 by collars 248 and set screws 249, and rod 241 is held by nuts 258 without end motion but free to turn in brackets 25|, which are bolted to frame members 22 and 25.

The sponge rubber roller 238 is thus held in position resting of its own weight upon the carrier bars and the nuts in the recesses 52 of the carrier bars, as they pass under it, the motion of the carrier belt causing the roller to turn. The

soft rubber sponge of the roller allows for any inequalities in the size of the nuts carried by the belt and holds them all securely in place while the printing pads press on the under side thereof and imprint the desired mark or brand.

A dust shield 252 fastened to frames |49 is provided over all of the printing and inking apparatus except the printing roller |62, which must be clear to press upon the articles to be marked. A drip pan '253 is likewise provided, fastened to frames |49, under the inking and printing apparatus to prevent any ink from falling onto the under surface of the carrier belt and causing defacing marks upon the articles later placed therein.

Upon shaft 69 and keyed thereto between the driving sprockets 61 and 68, which mesh with the chains 49 to. move the carrier belt 48, is a cylinder 254 upon which are projecting pins 255, placed to intrude through the apertures 54 under the recesses 52 into the recesses from the under side of the belt 48, thus forcing' out of the recesses the branded objects seated therein. This forcing out occurs as the belt moves over the sprockets 61 and 68. The branded articles thus forced out of the belt fall into the sacking chute 36. 'I'he belt, freed of its load by the projecting pins, passes beneath the machine and back to the loading point.

The operation of the machine is clear. nuts or other articles to be marked are loaded into the hopper 35. The tail pieces 46 on the bottom of the hopper and the flexible bottom 44 and 45 are slowly vibrated by the passage beneath them of the carrier bars 50 and the depressions 52 therein. The vibration causes the nuts to be dropped a few at a time onto the carrier belt 48 where they tend to settle in the recesses 52. In this they are aided by the revolving brush 14 as the belt moves under it. Having passed upward under the revolving brush, the belt carries the nuts horizontally under the moving brushes 86 and 81 which seat them in their places, aided in this by the rubber strip |4| which raises them slightly to allow a readjustment. As thus seated the nuts project only slightly from the openings 94 in the bottoms of the recesses, this amount of projection being fairly constant. After being seated properly in the recesses the nuts are passed between the printing roller |62 which applies inked rubber printing pads |63 to their under surface, and the sponge rubber roller 238 The which presses on their top surfaces to hold them in place while the printing pads are applied.

Continuing to. the end of the top path of the belt the nuts are forced from their places by pins 255 and fall into the chute 36 for sacking.

In the inking and printing mechanism, the ink is forced by pump 22| into drip cups 2|3 whence spouts 2 4 allow it to drip at the proper rate upon the felt roller 2| into which it soaks. The brass roller |84 pressed upon the felt roller and also upon the rubber roller |19 by springs 259 moves at the same surface speed as the felt roller but reciprocates endwise and is of different size than the other two rollers, thus distributing the ink on the felt roller, as well as upon itself, and applying it evenly upon the rubber roller which in turn applies it to the printing pads |63 as they are carried past by the printing roller |62.

It is obvious that in the construction of machines according tothis invention various modifications as to material, means of fastening, source of power, mode of power transmission and arrangement of the different parts and the like roller, an ink supply roller, a second frame pivotally and slidably movable within said first frame, an ink vdistributing roller and springs for urgingr said second frame and said ink distributing roller toward said inking roller and said ink supply roller.

' JOHN E. TRUNK. 

